ETON, England -
Eight current and former University of Washington athletes won medals Sunday, including Anna Mickelson and Mary Whipple who collected golds during the final day of the World Rowing Championships on Dorney Lake.

Those two former Huskies helped the United States' women's eight lead from wire-to-wire en route to the world's best time and a world championship.

Also medaling were a quartert of Huskies who helped Canada's men's four with coxswain to a second-place performance. That silver-medal crew included former UW rower Chris Aylard along with current Huskies Max Lang,
Rob Gibson and Will Crothers. They teamed up earlier this summer in Belgium to lead Canada's eight to a gold medal at the under-23 world championships.

Germany placed first with a time of 6:05.77 followed by Canada in 6:06.57, New Zealand in 6:07.37 and the United States in fourth at 6:07.60. The U.S. crew included former UW rowers Brodie Buckland, Kyle Larson and Scott Gault.

The U.S. men's eight, containing former Huskies Matt Deakin and Giuseppe Lanzone, earned the bronze medal. Germany won the men's featured race in 5:21.85 followed by Italy in 5:23.29 and USA in 5:24.14.

The American women's eight surged off the start, grabbing a two-seat lead in the first 250 meters of the race. They continued to build on that advantage during the next 750 meters, taking nearly a length lead over Germany at the midway point of the race.

With a strong tailwind and choppy conditions, the U.S. encountered a slight bobble just after the 1,000-meter mark. However, the crew maintained control and didn't lose a beat. The U.S. was able to keep Germany at a safe distance the rest of the way down the course to win by a half length.

"It was not pretty," said Whipple, the coxswain. "The world's best time is a surprise because we were hitting waves left and right. The chop was really bad during the last 1,000. I'm not going to lie. I was a little scared because there were a couple of topsy-turvy strokes. But, we just regrouped and were very determined."

The U.S. clocked a time of 5:55.50, which bettered the world's best time set by the American crew in the heat at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by 1.05 seconds. Germany finished second in a 5:57.29. Australia held off China for the bronze medal.

"We knew it would be a really fast race, and we knew the conditions would get a lot harder as we went down the course," Mickelson said. "I am so proud and honored to be part of this crew that set a world's best time today. There is so much that resembles our Athens eight."

Mickelson and Whipple were members of the U.S. eight that won the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

The U.S. men's eight finished 2.29 seconds behind the winners from Germany. The German crew got off the line quickly, taking a lead during the first quarter of the race. Germany continued to increase its advantage through the 1,500-meter mark. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Italy sat in a tight battle for second place, with the Italians holding a small advantage at each of the 500-meter splits.

Germany crossed the finish line with a time of 5:21.85, followed by Italy in a 5:23.29. The U.S. clocked a 5:24.14 to finish more than five seconds ahead of fourth-place Australia.

In the B final of the men's eight, a Canadian crew with UW graduate Peter Dembicki in the boat finished third.

While four Huskies garnered silver medals for Canada in the men's four with coxswain final, the U.S. entry finished fourth by 0.23 seconds. Former Huskies Kyle Larson, Scott Gault and Brodie Buckland rowed in that American boat.

The top five crews were only separated by 2.21 seconds. Germany rowed through New Zealand in the second half of the race to win the gold medal in a time of 6:05.77. Canada made a late push to take second place, while New Zealand held off the Americans by about two feet to win the bronze medal. Canada finished with a time of 6:06.47, 0.90 seconds ahead of New Zealand. The U.S. clocked a 6:07.60, followed by Great Britain in a 6:07.98.

This year's group of 15 Huskies in nine crews highlighted what is believed to be the largest UW contingent at the World Championships.

2006 FISA WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Results and Starts Lists

MEN'S EIGHTS U.S. crew with Matt Deakin and Giuseppe Lanzone collected the Bronze medal
 Canada crew with Peter Dembicki finished third in the B Final